How do you feel the aftermath of WWII shaped the lives of the characters and their parents?
WWII was a horrific time in the lives of the generation before us, particularly if they lived in Europe. My Mom was an air raid warden on our street but miraculously the battles never came to our shores. Having said that, many families had loved ones who were serving in Europe or Asia. Some sadly did not return. I can remember my parents determined to move out of the shadow of those times. Social activities increased, sewing and sharing patterns, also knitting and crocheting were great pastimes. Bridge became a regular thing for both the ladies and couples.
The characters in Chelsea Girls wanted to leap out of that somber time in Europe but their parents were not so quickly able to bounce back from the devastation of the war. Some streets were described as still leveled by bombs. Mary’s creative efforts and the work of her associates gave the younger generation hope. Their parents were not on board with it all. Understandable actually;.
WWII was such a big influence on the culture, the people and social values. After WWII there were so many lost lives, people suffering from injuries both physical and mental and property destroyed that it was a sober time. Unlike America, there continued to be rationing of food and materials in England.
The youthful generations have always wanted to explore and rebel, but with such a terrible experience of war there was an even stronger desire to separate and be different than previous generations. Because of course, young people know they could do a better job than previous generations and want CHANGE! (I say this as someone, who also thought I knew better than earlier generations!) Mary Quant’s fashion was fun, different and rebelling against the previous generations.
I think Dee said it best. Post WWII was a time of huge change and fashion was just one segment. Maybe the easiest to notice!
WWII definitely shaped the lives of the characters and parents. The younger generation did not want the same life their parents had. They lived through war and now they wanted to really live and not be tied down to the constraints of the past generations. The parents felt like their lives were upended because of the war and they were desperate to return to the life they led before it.
I remember the stories my mom told me about growing up in Washington, DC during WWII. She was only 16 years old in 1945, the year WWII ended in Europe. I think she mostly told me about the rationing of things like sugar, shoes, and nylon stockings. I also remember seeing photos of the clothing people, especially women, wore during WWII, and the sketches my mom made of fashion designs. It seems as if the clothing was quite tailored. I don’t remember discussion of WWII in regards to the characters in Chelsea Girls. However, I imagine people were ready to wear clothing that was easy to run in, to move about easily while wearing clothing, and to do away with items like girdles. Mary Quant’s goal was to make clothing that was comfortable, easy to wear and to move about in. It was quite different than the clothing I saw in the photos my mom showed me. So, the women were primed and ready for the changes that Mary Quant brought to the design of clothing. Of course, there were many other ways that WWII shaped the lives of people, but I am sticking to the area of clothing.